Enkhuizen (Netherlands North Holland)

Enkhuizen is a North Sea/IJsselmeer/IJssel River cruise port and city in The Netherlands' North Holland province (West-Frisia region), with population around 19,000.

With a similar name is North Holland's town Huizen. It is also on IJsselmeer, approx 75 km / 45 mi to the south via Road N307 connecting highway A6/Rijksweg 6 with Road N302 (near Lelystad/Flevoland) and Road N50/Rijksweg 50 (Kampen/Overijssel).

Port Enkhuizen (locode NLENK) houses one of Holland's largest marinas.

As cruise port, Enkhuizen is included in the regular schedules of some of Europe's largest river cruise companies (travel brands targeting predominantly the German-speaking market) like Phoenix Reisen, Arosa, Nicko Cruises/fleet, Scylla's boat chartering clients (Riviera Travel UK/fleet, Tauck Travel USA/fleet), DCS Touristik/fleet.

A popular tourist destination is the city's Zuiderzeemuseum whose exhibitions depict the life of Zuiderzee's inhabitants before 1932 when the Afsluitdijk dam/causeway (Closure Dyke) was opened. The city's oldest building (dating back to the 16th century/1540) is called Drommedaris (at the left In the above photo).

The same-named municipality consists of Oosterdijk, Westeinde and Enkhuizen. Enkhuizen was among the harbor towns of Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie/Dutch East India Company (1602-1799) - just like Amsterdam and Hoorn. From these port cities was conducted overseas trade with the East Indies (Southeast Asia).

In 1355 the town received its city rights and in the mid-17th-century, it was at the peak of its might. However, because of various reasons, notably the harbors' silting up, Enkhuizen lost its first position to Amsterdam.

Riverboat tours are offered from Enkhuizen to Medemblik. Industrially, the city is home to several seed production companies and a plastics factory. Tourism is also a large part of the local economy.

A train station provides direct rail service from Enkhuizen to Amsterdam City, Amersfoort and Hoorn. The travel time to Amsterdam Centraal is ~ 1 hour. During summer, regularly scheduled passenger ferries link Enkhuizen with Medemblik, Stavoren and Urk. It's also possible to cycle or drive across Houtribdijk to Lelystad while passing under naviduct (navigable aqueduct) close to the Krabbersgat lock.